Reflections on the Journey
Gift from Heaven
Lamentations 3:22-23 I awoke this morning to a world blanketed in snow. Not the thick, heavy duvet cover of last month’s blizzard. Not the kind you are forewarned of and prepared for. Not the kind of snow that falls relentlessly for days on end. This morning’s snow was a surprise. And it was all the more lovely because no one had anticipated it. It was a gift from heaven....
In the Beginning
Genesis 1-2 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Ten simple words that introduce the most widely read book of all time. Ten simple words that tell me much about God’s nature. Ten simple words that whisper to me how deeply God loves me. Like the Prologue in a great Shakespearean drama, these ten words set the stage for us to be eyewitnesses to a most exquisite...
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
“Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee o Israel!” O Come O Come Emmanuel has always been one of my favorite Christmas carols, not just for its haunting, deeply melodic minor tones, but also because of its very poignant words that speak of the longing of a nation to be visited by their God. One of my favorite names for God is Emmanuel, which means “God with us”. There is...
Christmas Baby
Luke 2:19 Twenty-two years ago today I became a mother. I don't think there could have been a more ill prepared mother in the history of humankind than I was! Living in a foreign land far from family, with nothing but my young husband, a tattered copy of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, and my French-English dictionary by my side, I wasn’t the most confident mother-to-be. When the...
God Has Been Good to Me
Last year's joint birthday celebration, Dad turning 94 and Mom a young 38! Psalm 106:1-5; Psalm 71 I visited my parents today. My mom is 93, my dad 95, and they are both wheelchair-bound and exhausted. To say they have slowed down is a vast understatement. Our times together these days are filled with more quiet spaces than words; it’s hard to have real conversations with those who can’t...
Desire
Mark 10:46-52 John 5:2-9 “What do you want me to do for you?” What a great question to ask of one in need of a touch of kindness. It’s also a great question to ask of one who doesn’t seem to need any help at all, because underneath the offer of help is the sentiment that declares, “I see you; I care about you.” But it can be a rather personal question, can’t it? One that gets us to open up...
